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Scientia et Societus

Article

Raising awareness of environmental safety among higher education students

Yury Polukarov, Oleksiy Polukarov
Retrieved from Vol. 5, No. 1, 2026 Pages 30–41
Received
22.10.2025
Revised
31.03.2026
Accepted
12.05.2026
Published
22.06.2026
Views
1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse curricula and courses containing a patriotic component aimed at raising students’ awareness of environmental safety. The research methodology included a theoretical analysis of curricula, a content analysis of potential risks at hazardous facilities, and the development of recommendations for improving curriculum content. The curricula provided students with knowledge of environmental safety, as well as civic and patriotic awareness, combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills in responding to emergencies. At the same time, insufficient integration of interdisciplinary and practical modules was identified, which limited the development of critical thinking, active citizenship, and the application of knowledge in real professional and social contexts. Content analysis showed that educational materials and regulatory documents systematise potential threats and classify them by type and level of danger, which enabled students to form an initial understanding of risks and to assess their impact on the educational process. Recommendations for improving academic disciplines include updating programme content through the inclusion of patriotic and civic components, strengthening interdisciplinary links, developing new modules and specialised courses, integrating modern digital technologies and artificial intelligence for the analysis of environmental data, improving criteria for assessing civic competencies, and expanding partnerships between educational institutions and public organisations. The implementation of these changes is intended to foster in students a holistic understanding of the role of a specialist in society, to increase motivation to preserve national identity, and to develop environmental responsibility, critical thinking, and civic engagement as components of professional training. The practical significance of this work lies in the fact that its results can be used by teachers of environmental safety and civil protection disciplines to design curricula and practical classes on risk modelling at hazardous facilities

Keywords

students; teachers; protective measures; civil protection; emergencies

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Suggested citation

Polukarov, Y., & Polukarov, O. (2026). Raising awareness of environmental safety among higher education students. Scientia et Societus, 5(1), 30-41. https://doi.org/10.69587/ss/1.2026.30